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How to Identify Performance Gaps
Written by: Virginia FarringtonArticle Overview: How to Identify Performance Gaps
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How to Identify Performance Gaps
A Critical Management Skill
A successful manager has honed their ability to spot opportunities and problems early, and develop solutions to problems. This is a critical management skill that can make the difference between success and failure in a new position.
Big Picture Questions
Step back and ask yourself some basic questions about what you're doing, such as:
• How does what I'm doing solve the problem?
• How does it advance my thinking?
• Is it the most important thing I could be doing right now?
• If what I am doing is not helping, why am I doing it?
Can you quickly see where the performance 'gaps' in your area of responsibility are occurring and implement the solutions that resolve these gaps?
Questions to ask when identifying a problem:
• Is the issue causing pain in the organization?
• How do I know it's a "problem"?
• Who else sees this issue as a problem?
• How are business metrics impacted by this issue?
• What would happen if I did nothing about this issue?
• What will be the benefits to the company and/or the business unit if the issue is successfully addressed?
• Is the problem "leverageable" (can a significant improvement be made with minimum effort?)
• Describe what the situation should/could be if the issue were resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
In simple terms, a performance "gap" is the difference between what IS happening and what could/should be happening. This 3-step model below can help you identify and organize your analysis of performance gaps:
Once you have identified the problem, find the 3 most important key drivers of the problem and focus on resolving these. And, don't forget to look at the big picture.
Next, make actionable recommendations on how to resolve the problem. Before making your recommendations, know your solution so thoroughly that you can explain it clearly and precisely to your employer/boss/staff in 30 seconds.
To simplify and communicate your message quickly ( in 30 seconds), stick to the 3 most important issues. If you can do that, then you understand what you're doing well enough to sell your solution.
Big Picture Questions
Step back and ask yourself some basic questions about what you're doing, such as:
• How does what I'm doing solve the problem?
• How does it advance my thinking?
• Is it the most important thing I could be doing right now?
• If what I am doing is not helping, why am I doing it?
Can you quickly see where the performance 'gaps' in your area of responsibility are occurring and implement the solutions that resolve these gaps?
Questions to ask when identifying a problem:
• Is the issue causing pain in the organization?
• How do I know it's a "problem"?
• Who else sees this issue as a problem?
• How are business metrics impacted by this issue?
• What would happen if I did nothing about this issue?
• What will be the benefits to the company and/or the business unit if the issue is successfully addressed?
• Is the problem "leverageable" (can a significant improvement be made with minimum effort?)
• Describe what the situation should/could be if the issue were resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
In simple terms, a performance "gap" is the difference between what IS happening and what could/should be happening. This 3-step model below can help you identify and organize your analysis of performance gaps:
Once you have identified the problem, find the 3 most important key drivers of the problem and focus on resolving these. And, don't forget to look at the big picture.
Next, make actionable recommendations on how to resolve the problem. Before making your recommendations, know your solution so thoroughly that you can explain it clearly and precisely to your employer/boss/staff in 30 seconds.
To simplify and communicate your message quickly ( in 30 seconds), stick to the 3 most important issues. If you can do that, then you understand what you're doing well enough to sell your solution.
How to manage and motivate a team
Podcasting Best Practices
Performing a Solid GAP Analysis
How to Sell More Effectively in a Recession
Sales Team Transformation thru Coaching
Article Tags: Performance gap, performance measurement
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About the Author: Virginia Farrington RSS for Virginia's articles - Visit Virginia's website  Click here to visit Virginia's website   Are You a Team Player Team Leader Developing Leadership Skills Does Your Resume Get Attention Are You Using Your Strengths The Art of Communication |
Related Forum Posts
Starting a New Business
- I think [b]magonaga [/b]identified one of the most important ingredients for starting a new business in its simplest terms...."[b]Sheer bloody tenacious determination[/b]".
The only thing that I would add to this is the need for a plan. There are many methodologies for planning, but I believe that the most effective is also the simplest.
[list=] Step back from the excitement and anxiety, close your eyes and visualize your goal
Identify all of the ingredients (e.g. office/store, legal paperwork, contracts, products) that you need to make your vision a reality
Identify all of the ingredients that you need to get the previous ingredients (equipment, training, partnerships, mentors, marketing materials)
Prioritize all of the ingredients
Sketch out a timeline for how all of these ingredients come together to achieve your goal
Execute the timeline...with a liberal dose of magonaga's advice
[/list]
When all is said and done in the realm of planning, take heed of Dwight D. Eisenhower's advice "Plans are nothing. Planning is everything". Even though your timeline may not go as planned, the fact that you devoted the time towards planning will help you understand the impacts of changes to your plan and react more effectively to unforeseen events.
May God bless you in your endeavors!
ARTICLE: Performance coaching in the workplace
- To create lasting performance change it is necessary to first understand the positive and negative influence that a person’s personal behaviors has on their execution and what impact these have on their ability to achieve success. Only when we fully understand a person’s behavioral patterns and create positive self-managing coaching strategies can we assist a person to create lasting performance change.
The vast majority of employers believe coaching can deliver significant benefits to both individuals and organizations. The majority of employers plan to increase the use of coaching over the next few years, according to a new survey by the Institute of Personnel and Development. Nearly nine out of ten interviewed companies expect their managers and supervisors to deliver performance coaching as part of their day-to-day work.
In another large industry-wide study it was found that most managers reported that they were confident in their ability to coach. However, the study also showed that the managers’ actual skills levels as coaches were typically poor. As a consequence they were not nearly as effective in their coaching as they believe themselves to be. Often times, they believed that coaching consisted of just providing 1-to-1 instructional feedback to their staff members on what to do in a given situation to perform better.
Many recent studies have shown that technical skills only represent at best 20% of the contribution into our performance. The remaining 80% comes from our ability to choose or make a decision, assertiveness, commitment to grow, ability to concentrate, honesty, optimism, persistence, ability to perform well under stress and so on. These traits are commonly called our soft skills or attitude. Few managers understand just how deeply rooted their own behavior patterns are, let alone how to positively change them in other people.
Performance coaching is frequently confused with other types of coaching, such as Executive coaching and Life coaching. Performance coaching is a form of Directive coaching. Executive coaching and Life coaching are both forms of Non-directive coaching. Directive coaching is usually more suitable for a manager who sometimes acts as a coach.
Performance coaching in the workplace has developed immensely from what it was only 4 years ago. To choose the right coach will make a huge difference. You also better make sure to know what you want. If your coach knows what (s)he is doing – you will get on your way to get it!
[i:38tu5pgr]- Peter J Karlsson[/i:38tu5pgr]
Re: Twiiter an sales
- Lots of different ways soldlab. I would start with:
1) Identify your ideal accounts and see if they're on Twitter. Get to know them and what they're interested in. Reply to their tweets and get on their radar screens. Before long they'll be checking out your profile and will be curious as to what you're selling.
2) Follow key words that relate to your industry. Find people who have a problem that you can solve and offer to help. Get involved in the discussion around your industry and be seen as an expert.
Good luck!
Re: Kevin's Case Study #7 - How do you promote your new book?
- Hey! Shri you Rock!
The only thing I would add is something I have personally found to be very profitable, and that is centres of influence. Identify people who are selling/promoting into the same target market as you and get them to recommend you.
I've also done a lot of list building and promotion leading up the release of the book. In fact, I had sold 100 copies before it was even finished.
I highly recommend Shri's book too! Great resource.
Jude
Re: Email marketing strategy
- [quote="cathleen":1how8x8i]Here are the some steps you need to take to develop an effective e-mail strategy:
Identify qualitative goals.
Analyze the current situation.
Complete a competitive analysis.
Define the target audience.
Determine which types of e-mail meet your needs.
Develop a content strategy and a frequency and send schedule.
Design the e-mail template.
Create quantitative goals.
Compile budget and ROI (define) projections.
Evaluate results and tweak the strategy accordingly[/quote:1how8x8i]
Nice tips, Cathleen.
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